Animal-trap.



Patented Nov.V 25, |902. H. J. GAEDTKE.

ANIMAL TRAP. Implication med .mue 16, 1902.)

(No Model.)

Tm; mams van: ou. moro-umu.. WASHINGTON. n, r:v

` T all whom-t may concern:

` UNITED STATES A'rnrrr Prion.

HERMANN J. GAEDTKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,470, dated November 25, 1902.

Application ined tune 1e, V1902.

Beit known that I, HERMANN J. GAEDTKE, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, (having resided in the United States over one year last past and having declared myintention of becoming a citizen thereof,) residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsyl- `end-in the present case the right-hand endthe same, is pivotally connected, as at H,with

a reduced scale.

Vania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, of which the follow.- ing is a specification. v

My invention consists of an animal-trap which is provided with a tilting or swinging floor and means for controlling and releasing the same, the construction of parts being here'- inafter described and the novel features pointed out in the claims. i

Figure lrepresents a perspective view of a trap embodying my invention, the same being shown in set condition. Fig. 2 represents a central longitudinal section thereof, the trap being shown as sprung and portion of the wirework of the body removed. Fig. 3 represents a bottom plan view of the tray on their upper ends on the standards E, which` rise from the base A, said' standards being at the open end of the body F of the trap, the

`same being formed of wirework or perforated metal or material, as usual in such cases one being open, so that the animals can enter said body. On the rear end of the trap-door Gis an offset portion to enable said end to rest firmly on thewall of the opening B of the base A in the set positionof the trap.

Gr designates a bait-hook, thesame being of angular form, one limb of Which is within the body F, and the other limb, outside of theupper end of the standard J, which rises from the base A".l At the 'angle of said hook isa depending limb K, which is adapted Vto engage with the rock-shaft L, which has its bearings on the base A, as at M, said shaft Serial No. 111,841. (No model.)

`L being provided with inwardly-projecting crank arms or levers N, the ends P of which are preferably bent downwardly and are adapted to engage with the weighted crossheads Q on the adjacent ends of the arms R, theouter ends of the latter being pivotally `connected with the hangers D, as at S, it being noticed that said arms `R and the crossheads Q follow said hangers in the motions of the tilting door C of the trap.

Rising from the sides of the base A are guides T, on which the heads Q are adapted to ride. On said guides are shoulders T', it being noticed that the portions of the arms -Radjacent to the heads Qaredeiiected downwardly, forming the legs U, which are provided with a lcross-piece V, the same being adapted to limit the upward motion of the arms R and prevent disconnection of the same from the guides T. On the ends of the guides are loops X, through which the arms R are`adapted to play and which assist in guiding the swinging arms true .in their motions with the door C. y

The operation is as follows: The trap is placed over a receptacle of any kind, so that the opening B may communicate with the same when the trap is sprung, so that the animal may drop into said receptacle, which latter" may be properly lled with water or other iiuid, so as to drown the animal, it being seen that when'the trap is set `the door C closes the opening B and the heads Q rest on the ends P of the arms N and engage with the shoulders T, thus holding the door C locked and preventing dropping of the same. When the animal reaches the bait and draws on the same, the portion of the hook Gwithin thevbody is lowered, whereby pressure is exerted on the rock-shaft J, thus turning the lsameand raising the armsN. This lifts the heads Q clear of the shoulders G, whereby the door C is unlocked, and as the weight of the animal is superimposed on said door the portion of the latter within the body quickly swings downward atsuch an angle (see Fig. 2) that theanimal must necessarily slide down the door "and fall into the receptacle below the same, whereby it is securely trapped in the latter and drowned therein. As the weight of the animal is removed from the door the latter may return to its first position, in which IOO case the heads Q 'may drop on the ends P of the arms N, the latter having previously returned to their normal positions, and said heads engage with the shoulders T', whereby they are interlocked with The same, and so hold the door C in closed position until the bait is again seized, when the operations hereinbefore described are repeated.

Within the body F at the end beneath the bait-hook is an inclined piece Z, which is secured to the adjacent end of the body and has its lower end overhanging the wall of the opening B in the base. This permits the front feet of the animal resting thereon, so that the animal may conveniently reach the bait, while, however, when the trap is sprung and the door descends the animal must necessarily slip from said guard, and its feet are prevented from taking hold of the portions A' of the base below said guard. It will he noticed that when the door is placed in closed position the bait hook or holder is operative, it requiring no direct setting by hand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An animal-trap having an opening in the base thereof, a tilting door adapted to close the same in the set condition of the trap,

a standard rising from said base, and a hanger pivoted on said standard and being rigidly connected with said door.

2. A trap having an opening in the base thereof, a swinging door adapted to close the same, a hanger connected with said door, and having its bearings on a stationary member of the trap, means for locking said door and vmeans for releasing the same on the operation of the bait or holder.

3. A trap having a swinging door in the base thereof, an arm connected therewith, a shoulder on the trap with Which said arm is adapted to engage, a lever on Which said arm is adapted to rest when engaged with said shoulder, and a bait-holder adapted to engage with a limb of said lever and raise said arm.

4t. A trap having an opening in the base thereof, a swinging door adapted to close Said opening in the set condition of the trap, a bait-holder, a rock-shaft adapted to be engaged by a member of said holder, a crankarm on said shaft, an arm connected with said door, a head on said arm adapted to rest on the said crank-arm and to be elevated by the same and a shoulder on the trap with which said head engages.

5. A trap having a tilting door, an arm connected therewith, a head on said arm, a guide on which said head is adapted to ride, a shoulder on the trap with which said head is adapted to engage, a lever mounted on the trap ou which said head is adapted to rest, a rock shaft carrying said lever, and a connection for said rock-shaft with the bait-holder.

6. A trap, a bait-holder mounted thereon, a rock-shaft adapted to be engaged by a member of said holder, a lifting-arm on said shaft, a swinging floor at the base of the trap, an arm on said floor, and a shoulder on the trap intermediate of said arms with which the arm on the oor is adapted to engage, the lastnamed arm being adapted to rest on said lifting-arm.

HERMANN J. GAEDTKE.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, WM. GANER WIEDERSHEIM. 

